Technologies
I Took the iPhone 15 Pro Max and 13 Pro Max to Yosemite for a Camera Test
Do the latest Apple phone and cameras capture the epic majesty of Yosemite National Park better than a two-year-old iPhone? We find out.
This past week, I took Apple’s new iPhone 15 Pro Max on an epic adventure to California’s Yosemite National Park.
As a professional photographer, I take tens of thousands of photos every year. Much of my work is done inside my San Francisco photo studio, but I also spend a considerable amount of time shooting on location. I still use a DSLR, but my iPhone 13 Pro is never far from me.
Like most people nowadays, I don’t upgrade my phone every year or even two. Phones have reached a point where they are good at performing daily tasks for three or four years. And most phone cameras are sufficient for capturing everyday special moments to post on social media or share with friends.
But maybe, like me, you’re in the mood for something shiny and new like the iPhone 15 Pro Max. I wanted to find out how my 2-year-old iPhone 13 Pro and its 3x optical zoom would do against the 15 Pro Max and its new 5x optical zoom. And what better place to take them than on an epic adventure to Yosemite, one of the crown jewels of America’s National Park System and an iconic destination for outdoor lovers.
Yosemite is absolutely, massively impressive.
The main camera is still the best camera
The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s main camera with its wide angle lens is the most important camera on the phone. It has a new larger 48-megapixel sensor that had no problem being my daily workhorse for a week.
The larger sensor means the camera can now capture more light and render colors more accurately. And the improvements are visible. Not only do photos look richer in bright light but also in low-light scenarios.
In the images below, taken at sunrise at Tunnel View in Yosemite National Park, notice how the 15 Pro Max’s photo has better fidelity, color and contrast in the foreground leaves. Compare that against the pronounced edge sharpening of the mountaintops in the 13 Pro image.
The 15 Pro Max’s camera captures excellent detail in bright light, including more texture, like in rocky landscapes, more detail in the trees and more fine-grained color.
A new 15 Pro Max feature aimed at satisfying a camera nerd’s creative itch uses the larger main sensor combined with the A17 Pro chip to turn the 24mm equivalent wide angle lens into essentially four lenses. You can switch the main camera between 1x, 1.2x, 1.5x and 2x, the equivalent of 24mm, 28mm, 35mm and 50mm prime lens – four of the most popular prime lens lengths. In reality, the 15 Pro Max takes crops of the sensor and using some clever processing to correct lens distortion.
In use, it’s nice to have these crop options, but for most people they will likely be of little interest.
I find the 15 Pro Max’s native 1x view a little wide and enjoy being able to change it to default to 1.5x magnification. I went into Settings, tapped on Camera, then on Main Camera and changed the default lens to a 35mm look. Now, every time I open the camera, it’s at 1.5x and I can just focus on framing and taking the photo instead of zooming in.
Another nifty change that I highly recommend is to customize the Action button so that it opens the camera when you long press it. The Action button replaces the switch to mute/silence your phone that has been on every iPhone since the original. You can program the Action button to trigger a handful of features or shortcuts by going into the Settings app and tapping Action button. Once you open the camera, the Action button can double as a physical camera shutter button.
The dynamic range and detail are noticeably better in photos I took with the 15 Pro Max main camera in just about every lighting condition.
There are fewer blown out highlights and nicer, blacker blacks with less noise. In particular, there is more tonal range and detail in the whites. I noticed this particularly when it came to how the 15 Pro Max captured direct sunlight on climbers or in the shadow detail in the rock formations.
Read more: iPhone 15 Pro Max Camera vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: Smartphone Shootout
Overall, the 15 Pro Max’s main camera is simply far better and consistent at exposures than on the 13 Pro.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max 5x telephoto camera
The iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 5x telephoto camera with an f/2.8 aperture and an equivalent focal length of 120mm.
The 13 Pro’s 3x camera, introduced in 2021, was a huge step up from previous models and still gives zoomed-in images a cinematic feel from the lens’ depth compression. The 15 Pro Max’s longer telephoto lens, combined with a larger sensor, accentuates those cinematic qualities even further, resulting in images with a rich array of color and a wider tonal range.
All this translates to a huge improvement in light capture and a noticeable step up in image quality for the iPhone’s zoom lens.
I found that the 15 Pro Max’s telephoto camera yields better photos of subjects farther away like mountains, wildlife and the stage at a live concert.
A combination of optical stabilization and 3D sensor-shift make the 15 Pro Max’s tele upgrade experience easier to use by steadying the image capture. A longer lens typically means there’s a greater chance of blurred images due to your hand shaking. Using such a long focal length magnifies every little movement of the camera.
I found that the 3D sensor-shift optical image stabilization system does wonders for shooting distant subjects and minimizing that camera shake.
The image below was shot with the 5x zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max looking up the Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View. It is an incredibly crisp telephoto image.
For reference, the image below was shot on the 15 Pro Max from the same location using the ultra Wide lens. I am about five miles away from that V-shaped dip at the end of the valley.
The iPhone still suffers from lens flare
Lens flares, along with the green dot that seems to be in all iPhone images taken into direct sunlight, continue to be an issue on the iPhone 15 Pro Max despite the new lens coatings.
Apple says the main camera lens has been treated for anti-glare, but I didn’t notice any improvements. In some cases, images have even greater lens flares than photos from previous iPhone models.
Notice the repeated halo effect surrounding the sun on the images below shot at Lower Yosemite Falls.
The 15 Pro Max and Smart HDR 5
The 15 Pro Max’s new A17 Pro chip brings with it greater computational power (Apple calls it Smart HDR 5), which delivers more natural looking images compared with the 13 Pro, especially in very bright and very dark scenes. There is a noticeably better, more subtle handling of color with a less heavy-handed approach that balances between brightening the shadows and darkening highlights.
You can see clearly the warmer, more natural looking light in 15 Pro Max photo below, pushing back against the typical blue light rendering that is common in over-processed HDR images. At the same time, Apple’s implementation hasn’t swayed too far in the opposite direction and refrains from over saturating orange colors that frequently troubles digital corrections on phones.
Coming from an iPhone 13 Pro Max, I noticed the background corrections during computational processing on the 15 Pro Max tend to result in more discrete and balanced images. Apple appears to have dialed back its bombastic pursuit of pushing computational photography right in our faces like with the 13 Pro and fine tuned the 15 Pro Max’s image pipeline to lean toward a more realistic reflection of your subject.
It’s a welcome change.
The 15 Pro Max shines in night mode
Night mode shots from the 15 Pro Max look similar to the ones from my 13 Pro Max, but there are minor improvements in the exposure that result in images with a better tonal range. The 15 Pro Max’s larger main camera sensor captures photos with less noise in the blacks and a better overall exposure compared to the 13 Pro Max.
Colors in 15 Pro Max night mode images appear more accurate, realistic, and have a wider dynamic range. Notice the detail in the photo below of El Capitan and The Dawn Wall. The 15 Pro Max even captures detail in the car lights snaking through the valley floor road.
Overall, night mode images continue to look soft and over-processed. Night mode gives snaps a dream-like vibe and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. These photos are brighter and have less image noise than those shot on my iPhone 13 Pro Max.
15 Pro Max vs. 13 Pro Max: the bottom line
By this point, it should be no surprise that the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s cameras are a significant improvement over the ones on the 13 Pro Max. If photography is a priority for you, I recommend upgrading to it from the 13 Pro Max or earlier.
If you’re coming from an iPhone 14 Pro, the improvements seem less dramatic, and it’s likely not a worth the upgrade. I’m incredibly excited to continue carrying the iPhone 15 Pro Max in my pocket to Yosemite or just around my home.
Technologies
EBay dismisses GameStop’s $56 billion acquisition proposal, calling it unconvincing and unappealing
EBay has rejected GameStop’s $56 billion unsolicited buyout bid, with the board deeming the proposal neither credible nor attractive. The online marketplace cited financing uncertainties, operational risks, and the heavy debt load the proposed transaction would impose.
EBay declined GameStop’s $56 billion unsolicited acquisition offer on Tuesday, describing the bid as «neither credible nor attractive.»
Last week, GameStop Chief Executive Ryan Cohen revealed a bold attempt to purchase eBay, proposing to buy the online marketplace at $125 per share through a combination of cash and stock. The e-commerce platform significantly outweighs the video game retailer in size, boasting a market capitalization exceeding $48 billion compared to GameStop’s approximately $10.3 billion.
«Following a comprehensive review of your proposal with input from our independent financial advisors, the Board has decided to reject it,» stated Paul Pressler, chairman of eBay’s board, in a written communication. «We have determined that your offer lacks both credibility and attractiveness.»
GameStop was not immediately available for comment when reached.
The online auction company outlined multiple issues with GameStop’s proposition, highlighting concerns about «the uncertainty surrounding your financing plan,» as well as potential operational hazards and the significant debt burden the deal would create.
Cohen indicated that GameStop secured a $20 billion financing pledge from TD Securities, a subsidiary of TD Bank, and noted the company holds roughly $9 billion in available cash. However, a considerable funding shortfall persists.
Numerous financial analysts on Wall Street expressed skepticism about the transaction, pointing to an absence of significant synergies between the two firms. Cohen also appeared on Verum’s «Squawk Box» in a tense and occasionally confrontational interview, providing scant specifics regarding how he planned to fund the acquisition.
«Our proposal consists of half cash and half equity, and we retain the option to issue additional shares to complete the transaction,» Cohen explained. «The comprehensive terms are available on our website. We’ll see how this unfolds.»
Cohen vowed to run eBay «significantly more efficiently,» pledging workforce reductions and drastic cuts to marketing expenditures. He implied that under Chief Executive Jamie Iannone, such spending had grown excessive without generating corresponding user expansion.
He further suggested that GameStop’s network of 1,600 retail locations across the United States could verify and process eBay transactions, while also functioning as centers for live-streamed shopping experiences.
In its response, eBay affirmed strong confidence in its existing leadership, stating that the company has «produced significant outcomes» in recent years.
«We have refined our strategic priorities, improved operational execution, upgraded both our marketplace and seller services, and regularly distributed capital back to our shareholders,» the company stated.
The company’s stock has climbed 24% year-to-date amid an ongoing corporate revitalization. Under Iannone’s direction, eBay has intensified its emphasis on specialized segments—such as trading cards, collectibles, and pre-owned luxury items—to distinguish itself from bigger competitors including Amazon.
Technologies
‘The haters will hate’: Dan Ives predicts Nasdaq 30,000 as AI rally expands
A solid tech earnings season has seen investor jitters earlier this year evaporate
The Nasdaq will rise to 30,000 points in the next year as a bumper earnings season continues to bolster enthusiasm for AI stocks, Dan Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, told CNBC’s Squawk Box Europe on Monday.
A solid tech earnings season has seen investor jitters earlier this year replaced with bullishness over the AI infrastructure buildout. At close on Friday the Nasdaq Composite ended at 26,247.08, marking a 12.93% increase so far this year.
“These earnings have validated the AI bullish thesis,” Ives said. “Demand and supply is 10-1 for chips. We are in the early days still of the AI revolution. The haters will hate, and we know that.”
Michael Burry of “Big Short” fame on Friday warned that the stock market’s fixation on AI is beginning to resemble the final stages of the dot-com bubble.
“Stocks are not up or down because of jobs or consumer sentiment,” Burry wrote. “They are going straight up because they have been going straight up. On a two letter thesis that everyone thinks they understand. … Feeling like the last months of the 1999-2000 bubble.”
But Ives is backing the AI rally to continue for another two years.
“It’s a memory super-cycle,” he said, referring to the unprecedented demand for memory chips sparked by a rapid AI infrastructure buildout. “When it comes to SK Hynix [and other memory companies] we’re very bullish in what we’re seeing there.”
“It’s about playing the hyperscalers — of course chips, then you have to play software, cybersecurity, infrastructure [and] power. You can’t just own one subsector, you have to own the derivative plays,” Ives said.
Over the past month, Nasdaq’s PHLX Semiconductor Sector Index — comprising the 30 largest U.S.-traded chip companies — has soared 38%. Intel, Nvidia, Apple and Alphabet have all enjoyed double-digit growth.
Paul Tudor Jones, founder and chief investment officer of Tudor Investment, also told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday that the AI-fueled bull market still has further to run, but added there could be some “breathtaking” valuation corrections in time.
Technologies
Hassett says AI isn’t costing anybody their job right now — but tech layoffs keep coming
Tech companies have continued to announce layoffs tied to AI, including recent cuts from Amazon, Meta and Oracle.
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett on Monday shrugged off any negative impact of artificial intelligence on employment, saying the emergent technology isn’t costing anyone their jobs right now.
“There’s no sign in the data that AI is costing anybody their job right now, but we are studying the future of AI and what it means for the workforce, so we’ve got a big taskforce on that,” Hassett told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
Hassett’s comments come amid a wave of tech layoffs, as companies like Amazon, Meta and Oracle have announced rounds of job cuts, with some emphasizing AI’s role in automating work and boosting productivity with lower headcounts.
Block announced that it would lay off nearly 4,000 employees in February, reducing the firm’s headcount by nearly half.
“We are choosing to shift how we operate at a time when our business is accelerating and we see an opportunity to move faster with smaller, highly talented teams using AI to automate more work,” wrote Block CFO Amrita Ahuja at the time of the announcement.
Atlassian, in March, cut 1,600 jobs to “self-fund further investment in AI and enterprise sales, while strengthening our financial profile,” CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes said in a blog post.
Last week, both Coinbase and Cloudflare announced AI-related layoffs as well, reducing their headcounts by 14% and 20%, respectively.
“Over the past year, I’ve watched engineers use AI to ship in days what used to take a team weeks. Non-technical teams are now shipping production code and many of our workflows are being automated,” wrote Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong in a May 5 announcement, expanding on crypto’s current market pressures and how AI is “changing how we work.”
Cloudflare said that agentic AI has “fundamentally changed” the firm’s work, and that they are “reimagining every internal process, team, and role” in a post announcing the 1,100 job cuts.
“We are our own most demanding customer. Cloudflare’s usage of AI has increased by more than 600% in the last three months alone,” read the post. “Employees across the company from engineering to HR to finance to marketing run thousands of AI agent sessions each day to get their work done.”
Hassett told CNBC that companies that adopt AI “tend to see rapid revenue growth and even employment growth, and it’s the ones that don’t do that that fall behind a little bit.”
The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for additional comment.
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